5/26 Update Rat Trap Vega

[Brian Conn]

................................ Why is it that few of you, if any, ever put drivers in your race cars?

Because of this..... 

They are also an entire model project all by themselves as you have to cut and trim and adjust them every time you want to put the little fella in there!

Also ,depending on what era, painting skin tone colors for the face and hands.....I might be inclined to add a driver with a full face, tinted helmet and gloves which would be of a more modern type build which I have yet to take on.

[David Bogard]

I bought a cheap acrylic paint set of 24 colors a couple years ago from WalMart and each of the little bottles is about 3/4 of a fluid ounce. I have found that I can mush around with those and get about any color I need. Beyond that, they are very small areas where the skin tone is needed. Having said that Brian, yes indeed, getting a decent looking skin tone is the hardest part of the figure painting process, no doubt about it.

[sentsat71]

Back in the '70's when I branched out into  1/48th military from the WWII era, it tried painting faces, etc. on the figures that came with the kits. didn't turn out all that well, but then I didn't know to prep them....paint used was Humbrol. (?) ......Think those were tossed when I moved at the end of 1980, along other old builds and kits never started or never finiished...

[David Bogard]

Heading to the paint shop. I've got a small spoiler to fabricate for the front as well a some detail items underneath but everything is mocked up and in place.

[BobD]

Lookin' good David....Lean 'N Mean"!

[Bob P.]

Looking fantastic as always.

Bob

[Tom Birky]

I'll be honest, i wasn't really keen on your body mods, but now that its on wheels with the hood I think it looks great. Well done. Make sure to glue drivers right foot to the floor.

Tb

[David Bogard]

I don't always like mine either Tom! I just keep cutting or adding back until I get the proportions or the "look" I am after. Even then, I don't always get to what I "see" in my head! And yes, his little right foot is hammered down!

[David Bogard]

The June Bug of Doom!
Okay, so tonight I was putting some paint on the car and just finished with maybe one of my best paint jobs ever! The white coats were about as perfect as I get them (it's a shame that my best paint jobs happen on race cars that don't really need it!!) I set the body down after admiring it and I hear a buzzing sound and then a "thunk!". I do not know how he got in or where he came from but a big old June Bug crashed right into the side of my painted body!! I was furious! I grabbed that thing, threw him on the floor and smashed it. After I looked at the remains, I smashed it again!! And then ground my foot around like I was grinding out a cigarette or something! A large 3+ stall garage/shop and this stupid arthropod decides to make a kamikazee dive into the side of my little modified? Oh well, I will let it dry good, lightly sand off the area tomorrow, and do it all again.

[hemiman_2010]

And you already know the repaint will never ever be as good as when you did it the first time I have often thought I should just spay on a mist coat rub my thumb on both sides and sand it smooth an now try to get a good paint job......

[Dirtman]

Lol! Now you're making me feel better. I manage to screw up a paint job by myself. I don't have a June bug to blame!!! Seriously, I'm sure you will get it fixed.
Rett

[TarheelRick]

WHEW!!! When you said you grabbed that thing and began stomping the bejesus out of it, I am glad you clarified it was the June bug and not the rat trap.  BTW, that is one sweet racer.

[Tom Birky]

Nothing surprises me anymore.  Um, except that.....models seem to have some unique cosmic force bent on ruin the minute you approach them with a can of paint.

Tb

[David Bogard]

I hear you Tom. I've had times when I was super careful, tack-clothed everything, pristine environment, and STILL got some weird dust ball or some such thing right in the paint job! Then again, I've just blown 'em off with pursed lips and shot something real quick (that didn't matter) and it was mirror perfect!! The test shots will never run, never have orange peel, never have a bleed and never have a speck of dust in it. The actual final may have ALL of that!!

[Brian Conn]

  The facial skin tone color(s) look great!  The posed wheels, driver etc. really add to this build.